Pat Conroy Literary Center
About Pat Conroy
Pat Conroy was born in Atlanta, GA, on October 26, 1945. He was born into a military family that moved to several bases throughout the south and eventually attended The Citadel, a military college in Charleston, SC. After college, he taught English and psychology at Beaufort High School.
During this time, in 1969, he took a job teaching children in need on Daufuskie Island. He was eventually fired from his teaching job for unconventional teaching practices and refusal to use corporal punishment. This job led to him writing his memoir The Water is Wide and started his career as an author. He would write several critically acclaimed novels that were adapted into films, such as The Great Santini, The Lords of Discipline, and The Prince of Tides.
History of the Center
In early January 2016, beloved author Pat Conroy was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Sadly, he lost his battle less than two months later and passed away on March 4, 2016. Two days later, Pat's friend of 40 years and literary agent, Marly Rusoff, was searching for a way to honor Pat and his legacy. She suggested that a nonprofit organization to help writers, inspire readers, and honor teachers and mentors is something that Pat would have wanted. The plans for the center were quickly put in motion.
Due to Pat's love of Beaufort and the Lowcountry, it was decided the center would be located there. On October 21, 2016, the Pat Conroy Literary Center opened its doors to the public in its first location at 308 Charles Street in Beaufort. It would eventually be moved to its permanent and current location at 601 Bladen Street in 2021.
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